Party chief urges army to be agile, tech-savvy in modernisation push

Party General Secretary Tô Lâm on Wednesday attends the 11th military emulation congress, which underscored the role of the People’s Army in fostering patriotism, self-reliance, and responsibility among officers and soldiers in fulfilling their mission of national defence.

The Vietnamese army must evolve into a force that is not only “regular, elite, and modern” but also “agile, flexible, and digitally savvy”, Party General Secretary Tô Lâm said at the 11th military emulation congress in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

The event, co-hosted by the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence, reviewed five years of achievements during the 2020-2025 period and set priorities for the next half decade.

In his opening remarks, General Phan Văn Giang, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence affirmed that over the recent past, the “Determined to Win” emulation movement has become a widespread revolutionary action, encouraging organisations and individuals to overcome challenges to fulfil their entrusted missions, contributing to the national construction and defence.

He laid stress on the timing of the congress as the army is preparing for the 12th congress of its Party organisation towards the upcoming 14th National Party Congress.

This is an opportunity to review patriotic emulation across the military and militia, honour outstanding achievements and new role models, and set directions and solutions to strengthen the movement and reward system in the next five years, he underscored.

In his brief report, General Trịnh Văn Quyết, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, member of the Central Military Commission, and Chairman of the General Department of Politics under the Việt Nam People's Army, stressed that the movement has seen innovations and achieved notable results in strategic military advisory work.

It has also helped with combat readiness, crime prevention, disaster relief, pandemic response, search and rescue efforts, Party building and international defence cooperation. He stressed that the emulation campaign has become a key driver for building a strong and modern army, completing entrusted missions.

For the 2025-2030, the emulation will focus on promoting role models and renewing leadership and organisation, which should be linked to major political milestones, including the 12th Congress of the Party Organisation of the Việt Nam People's Army, the 14th National Party Congress, and the elections of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for the 2026–2031 tenure.

General Secretary Lâm, who is also Secretary of the Central Military Commission, tied the army’s ethos to President Hồ Chí Minh’s patriotic emulation drive, which gave rise to the “Determined-to-Win” campaign. This drive, focused on excelling in combat, work and production, has become a defining trait of the army and a pillar of the nationwide emulation movement launched by the Party Central Committee and President Hồ Chí Minh.

He expressed satisfaction at the campaign’s reach beyond military ranks, permeating ministries, localities, businesses, and communities, and fostering a culture of patriotic emulation to bolster national construction and defence.

The leader stressed the need for transparent evaluations, timely commendations, and constructive criticism to drive mutual progress.

The “Determined-to-Win” campaign should serve as an “operating system” for three core roles, he suggested. As a combat force, the army must train in conditions mirroring real warfare, mastering advanced weaponry and technology while maintaining strict safety and discipline.

As a civic workforce, it should focus on garnering public support, reinforcing grassroots political systems, ensuring social stability, and building public trust.

As a production force, the army should spearhead research, design, and manufacturing; dominate production technical supply chains, and drive socio-economic development in remote, border, and island areas while accelerating digital transformation in defence and logistics, he said.

He called for an end to superficial practices and a focus on quality and effectiveness over hollow metrics.

The Party chief took the occasion to present a banner bearing the inscription: “Loyal and steadfast – United with discipline – Breakthrough for development – Determined to fight and win" to the congress.

Earlier, Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Văn Giang signed a decision awarding emulation flags to 84 units, plus certificates of merit to 151 collectives and 158 individuals for their outstanding performance in the 2020-2025 period. The congress also saw 56 collectives under the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence earn their own emulation flags.

The congress underscored the role of the People’s Army in fostering patriotism, self-reliance, and responsibility among officers and soldiers in fulfilling their mission of national defence.